Ready for kickoff

A business owner from Massachusetts called me the other day to talk about the annual transition from the snow season to the landscape season, and what he should do to get all the employees on the same page to ensure prompt, aligned and optimal field execution. With 85-90 employees to consider, it is important for the business owner to design a well-crafted, organized “Landscape Kickoff Day” that is informative, fundamental and engaging.

As is common in these scenarios, the employee mix likely includes: (a) those employees who were employed throughout the snow season in either a full-time or part-time capacity, (b) former employees who were laid off during the snow season, and (c) new employees joining the company as they begin/continue their career in the green industry.

Rather than splitting the entire workforce into smaller groups on different days, or staggering their work times on the same work day, the owner preferred to have all the employees together at the same time, on the same day, simply partitioned into different groups.

Taking approximately four hours to complete, involving four distinct stations each employee must complete, here is the standard “Landscape Season Kickoff Day” configuration I commonly recommend.

Organizational Culture

This station is led by the company president who provides a factual, upbeat overview of the company history, brand, vision and mission statements, core values, success behaviors, dos and don’ts, business model, results from last year, goals, social media campaigns planned, website updates, organizational chart, company calendar and career ladder. Interwoven throughout this presentation is energy, respect, customer service and vertical trust throughout the company.

Optimism is the watchword, employee engagement is the vehicle, with teamwork the destination. This schematic requires the president to assume multiple roles including passionate cheerleader, employee motivator and cultural icon. The overall success of this kickoff meeting is largely dependent on the success of this kickoff session.

Administrative

This station is all about paperwork, co-facilitated by a departmental manager and human resources. All key documents should be signed by all attendees before they leave the session: Employee Handbook, I-9 Form, Arbitration Agreement and Employee Confidentiality Agreement if necessary, Key Issuance Agreement, PPE Acknowledgment, W-4 Form, Benefits Enrollment, Cell Phone Issuance Agreement, Employment Application, Job Description, Performance Appraisal Form, Sexual Harassment Policy, EEO Policy, Direct Deposit Form, Image and Release Agreement, Vehicle Take Home Form, Time Off Request Form and any required state or federal forms or notifications.

The ability to secure all these documents signed by every employee at one time saves inordinate administrative follow-up and repetition, in trying to retrieve these compliant-oriented documents from the employees once they begin their routine landscape season field work schedule.

Safety

This station is all about hands-on proficiency and is led by a departmental manager and the safety coordinator. Due to increased litigation, the practice of simply reviewing innumerable safety videos has been replaced by actual hands-on demonstration of equipment safety thereby confirming the employee can actually start, operate, navigate and shut-off the equipment without injury. Would you trust a pilot who only practiced on a video game, YouTube clip or simulator? I didn’t think so.

Based on position, standard hands-on equipment safety training typically includes: mowers, blowers, hedge trimmers, edgers, chain saws, weed eaters, skid-steers and more. Other common safety topics shared during this session include: safety tailgate training calendar, emergency action plan, fire prevention program, hazard communication program, injury reporting procedures, PPE requirements, lockout/tagout, heat illness prevention, eye wash station, drug and alcohol policy, hooking up a trailer, vehicle inspections, fuel mixture procedures and proper lifting techniques.

Operations

This station is led by a departmental manager and a field supervisor, and addresses daily work procedures including shift start time, meal periods, rest breaks, scheduled daily/weekly work hours, absenteeism/tardiness procedures, time sheets, time off requests, payroll periods, date of first paycheck, overtime guidelines, shop procedures, yard departure and arrival tasks, rain day procedures, training programs, customer service expectations and other items.

Detailed information of this sort provides employees with much-needed structure that clarifies roles and responsibilities and performance expectations.

In closing, a well-designed Landscape Kickoff meeting is uniquely pivotal in instilling the requisite company pride, administrative focus, safety awareness and operational efficiency necessary to promote organizational alignment, accountability and achievement.

Cream of the Crop features a rotating panel from the Harvest Group, a landscape business consulting company.